A conventional type of baler for forming rectangular bales of crop material includes a pickup mechanism and a bale case arranged side-by-side. The pickup mechanism lifts crop material into a feed area located adjacent the bale case. A feed mechanism then moves the crop material laterally from the feed area through a feed opening in the side of the bale case. The overall width of this type of baler is a problem at certain times. It is also difficult at times to keep this type of baler properly aligned on windrows of crop material.
The present invention overcomes the above problems by providing a baler with a bale case disposed above and substantially centrally of a pickup mechanism. A feed mechanism moves crop material from a feed area located adjacent the bale case upwardly through a feed opening in the bottom of the bale case. The feed mechanism includes first finger means for moving crop material from one side of the feed area into the bale case and second finger means for moving crop material from the other side of the feed area into the bale case. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the first and second finger means each comprise a pair of fingers movable in loop-like paths through the bale case.